Riad Dar Augusta

I visited Marrakech as a single woman traveler attending a conference, and stayed for 10 days in Riad Dar Augusta. The Riad itself is a great choice: it's beautiful, clean, and has lots of amenities. The location can't be beat: it is in the Medina (old city), it's literally right around the corner from Cafe Clock (a cafe that welcomes international visitors while also celebrating and supporting the traditional arts and culture of Marrakech), it is within walking a 20 minute walking distance of the main square and to many of the most-visited attractions in Marrakech, and the streets have lots of people and life at night (you don't get that deserted feeling). And the Riad owners, Jerome and Bouchra, are always on hand, they are easy to talk to, and they genuinely want to help you find your way around and get whatever you need. There are two women who also work here helping with housekeeping and cooking, and again, they were friendly and helpful at every turn. Although much of this Riad's business is in travel for groups, I want to make a special plug for the advantages of staying here as a woman visiting Marrakech alone, for several reasons: One, the neighborhood. This neighborhood felt safer to me at night than some of the other parts of the city that I visited alone in the evenings, perhaps because there are a lot of people on the streets in the Kasbah at night (you don't get that deserted street feeling). And it is relatively easy to find one's way around; Rue de La Kasbah is one long street that runs straight down the middle of the neighborhood, and this Riad is just an easy turn off Rue de La Kasbah. There are a couple of notable restaurants that are only a 3-5 minute walk away, so you can duck out for a quick dinner if you would like without having to deal with a cab or worry about getting lost. But you also have the option of having dinner in the Riad, and Bouchra is an amazing cook. I ate at a lot of restaurants, but none of them were better than the wonderful meal she cooked for me and other guests one night. And the way the Riad is decorated at night for dinner is beautiful. So if you aren't interested in traversing the city after dark, you have options. Two, I appreciate that either Bouchra or Jerome were almost always at the Riad. I liked knowing that if I was out in the city and needed help, I could call them (although I didn't end up needing to). I also appreciated that Jerome politely checked on what I was up to each day (but not in an overbearing way), so that I felt like someone knew where I was and what I was up to. I enjoyed exploring the city, but Bouchra and Jerome are also happy to help bring things to you at the Riad if you want to stay in (like when I wanted to have henna done on my hand, Bouchra arranged for someone local to come to the Riad and use all natural products). Three, I enjoyed getting to know Jerome and Bouchra and the other guests who came through the Riad. If you want solitude, there's plenty of opportunity for that (and the terrace is a nice option). But there's also a sense of community in this Riad, and so I didn't feel isolated, but rather enjoyed conversations with a variety of visitors from around the world.